Small Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare and aggressive neoplasm, for which there have been few diagnostic markers. METHODS: Eleven cases of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were retrieved from pathology files. Immunohistochemical stains were performed for two epithelial markers (cytokeratin [AE1/AE3] and epithelial membrane antigen [EMA]) and four neuroendocrine markers (neuron-specific enolase [NSE], CD56, chromogranin, and synaptophysin). RESULTS: Of the nine cases followed up, two with initial distant metastasis died within one year. All seven remaining cases were diagnosed at stage Ib, and showed no evidence of recurrence. Nine cases were positive for one or more epithelial markers. Two cases showed positivity for epithelial markers in less than 10% of their tumor cells. The immunoreactivity for neuroendocrine markers showed variable results; four cases were reactive for chromogranin, four were positive for synaptophysin, and seven were reactive for CD56. All cases were positive for NSE. CONCLUSIONS: A diagnostic panel of chromogranin, synaptophysin, and CD56 rather than a single marker would be useful for the diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.